Post #41865 by modchick65 on Sun, Jul 6, 2003 7:27 PM

the hawaiian rumble pancake house isn't that cool in and of itself. i was in it last year, and i just remember it being really bright and dank. it's not vintage, either. while i was only there briefly, it struck me more like Golden Girls Living Room does Tiki than any sort of vintage tiki find. what IS cool, though, is that there is a miniature golf course attached to it (run by, i believe, the same family) and it's got tikis all over the course.

directly across the street from the Tiki golf is the thunderbird motel, which boasts a vintage back-in-the-day seashore restaurant with all sorts of nautical stuff on the ceiling and the walls. they also claim to have a poolside tiki bar; however, when i walked in the last time, there were only one or two tikis and a bunch of other random fiberglass animals. i also remember that there wasn't a lot going on there, but i think i was there pretty early in the season.

small amount of tikis or not, it's sad to say that the thunderbird motel is one of the motels in wildwood that is in grave danger. i have heard there are plans to tear it down to build more ugly, soul-less condos, but i was just down there for july 4th weekend, and it was still open. either that's a good sign or the thunderbird is enjoying it's last summer...

this is also worth mentioning. the raging waters waterpark that is located on the northern pier (there are two raging waters water parks) has some tikis amidst the landscaping. the owner of morey's pier is one of the bigwigs in wildwood's doowop preservation society, an organization that is fighting the good fight to save the vintage motels and capitalize on the cool vibe the place has going for it.